The invention relates to a drive rod lock for doors or windows, with a housing, a handle bush and follower rotatable by a handle or knob and mounted to rotate about an axis at right-angles to the door or window surface, a restoring spring which so pretensions the handle bush and follower into a rest position that it can be rotated in opposite directions of rotation out of the rest position, a drive rod guided lengthwise of a face plate of the housing and serving to control lock elements, and connecting the handle bush and follower to the drive rod, a transmission linkage comprising a transmission lever, said transmission linkage serving--subject to clearance--to displace the drive rod, the rotation of the handle bush and follower in a first direction of rotation causing displacement of the drive rod into a locking position while rotation of the handle bush and follower in a second direction of rotation results in displacement of the drive rod into an opening position, the clearance in the transmission linkage, after entry into the respective drive rod position and upon release of the handle or knob producing a return of the handle bush and follower via the restoring spring into its rest position, leaving the drive rod in whichever drive rod position has been reached.